The Guilt Trip
by Kender20
Summary: SOLDIER Third Class Zack Fair gets sent to a rocky wasteland along with a chance at finally being promoted to Second. But during the field training mission, something goes horribly wrong and his friend Kunsel ends up in critical condition. Blaming himself for what had happened, Zack embarks on a dangerous quest to save his life, and that quest soon proves to be painful indeed...
1. Chapter 1

Note: Well my friends, I've managed to write another fic in the Final Fantasy VII Universe! This was originally going to be a oneshot, but evidently the fic was getting pretty long, so I'm dividing it up, and it's now officially my first FFVII chapter story! This tale takes place before Crisis Core, and the plot is based on an episode called "A Bite to Eat" from the anime Rave Master. If there's anyone of you who's familiar with that episode, I'm sure you'll discover what I have in store for Zack... anyway, I hope you enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything in the Final Fantasy VII compilation. And you know what? I'M GLAD I DON'T! I only own the bully in this tale, whose name I gave as a tribute to Star Wars (you'll know what it is once you start reading).

 **The Guilt Trip**

 **Chapter 1: Hunt for the Scaled Behemoth**

To say that fifteen year old SOLDIER Third Class Zack Fair was excited about taking part in this latest field training mission was an understatement. Leaning back on his seat in the truck, he grinned as he thought back to the briefing only a few days before.

" **We'll be heading to a place called Dagger Valley, a vast wasteland located near Cosmo Canyon." Angeal explained to a group of young SOLDIERs, "The locals there have reported sightings of a dangerous monster roaming the area."**

" **So they sent for us to get rid of it, huh?" Kunsel asked.**

" **That sums it up." The Heart of SOLDIER replied, and then cast eyes on his pupil, who, of course, was starting to daydream. "Zack?"**

 **Startled, the young Third scrambled up to face him. "S-Sir!"**

 **At this Angeal smiled. "This could be the moment you've been waiting for, Zack."**

" **Huh?" Zack replied in confusion, "What do you mean?"**

" **I've nominated you for Second."**

 **The young Third widened eyes blinked once. Then twice. Did he actually hear that right? "What…? R-really? You mean it?"**

 **His mentor chuckled. "I mean it!"**

 **There was no denying the happiness that soon appeared in the boy's face. Letting out a cry of joy, Zack bounded to his feet and glomped his mentor. "ANGEAL! Oh, I love you, man!"**

 **The Heart of SOLDIER practically squirmed himself out and pushed his student away. "You're embarrassing me." He stated, though there was a playful smirk on his face.**

" **Sorry Sir…" Zack muttered, rubbing the back of his head, although the smile never left his face.**

 _I still can't believe it! Me! Nominated for Second!_ Zack thought, eager to move, _If all goes well, I'll be one step closer to First in no time!_

"Hey Zack!" a voice called out, interrupting his thoughts.

"Oh! Kunsel!" Zack gasped, facing his friend and fellow SOLDIER.

"You seem pretty happy." Kunsel replied.

The young Third chuckled. "Can you blame me?"

"Actually, I don't. I'm just as excited as you are about the whole thing. I mean, depending on how things go, you'll finally become a SOLDIER Second Class like me!" The Shinra-issue truck suddenly ran over a bump on the road, bouncing its occupants inside.

"Yo! Take it easy over there!" Zack called out to the driver.

"Sorry!" the driver called back. The two SOLDIERs gazed out at the scenery before them, which happened to be a wide expanse of barren red rock and gravel.

"By the way, Zack," Kunsel noted, "This is your first time at Dagger Valley, right? I tell you, this place is **infamous** for its rugged terrain; the locals in Cosmo Canyon say that the rocks here are as sharp as knives, hence the name."

"Really? That sounds pretty dangerous." Zack muttered.

"Yeah, but many of those locals still come here for many reasons. The main reason, of course, is that Dagger Valley is the only place in the world where you can find wild prickleberries."

Zack stared at his friend, expressing his confusion. "Prickleberries? What are prickleberries?"

A brief silence filled the air in the truck, before Kunsel finally stated, "Is it any wonder why you're still in Third Class?"

"HEY!"

* * *

Hours after arriving at the base located at the grassy edge of Dagger Valley, Zack made his way toward his mentor, who was at just finishing a conversation with Sephiroth and Genesis. Questions concerning the prickleberry had filled the head of the young Third since the moment it had been brought up, and eventually he realized… who better to ask about the berries than the very person who loves nature? Soon, other two Firsts departed. "Angeal?"

Angeal looked up at his student and smiled. "Zack! What brings you here?"

"Well," answered Zack, "There's a question on my mind that been nagging me since I came here, and I figured you would know something like this, being an expert of plants and all."

Angeal's eyes lit up as he sat down by the supplies he got out of his truck. "Oh! I see what you're trying to say! What is it that you want to know?"

The young Third took a seat by the Heart of SOLDIER. "On the way here, Kunsel mentioned something about… 'prickleberries'. What exactly _**are**_ prickleberries anyway?"

"Ah, prickleberries!" Angeal noted taking out a book on plants from his pack. "The official name of that fruit is the Cosmo Thorn." He laid out the book with a page turned to the plant in question, complete with detailed illustrations. It depicted what looked like pale pink strawberries covered with small thorns instead of seeds. "The locals of Cosmo Canyon were the first to give both of those names, for obvious reasons. Most prickleberries you see in the marketplace are cultivated in farm villages like Banora. Wild prickleberries, on the other hand, are extremely rare because they grow only in Dagger Valley, in places most people find inaccessible."

"Huh?!" Zack gasped in amazement, "Wait! You can actually **buy** those berries?! And EAT them?!"

The Heart of SOLDIER laughed. "Of course. Whether in the farm or in the wild, harvesting the Cosmo Thorn is a difficult, and slightly painful, process. But the effort is always worth it! The berries themselves have an amazing taste, and they're very nutritious to boot! Even the thorns are edible, though it makes it a challenge to eat them raw. In fact, prickleberries are known best for their powerful healing properties, especially wild prickleberries; at least ten berries are used to create a medicine that can cure even the most serious of wounds."

"Whoa! So I guess these berries give Shinra's elixirs a run for their money!"

"That's one of the reasons the Cosmo Canyon locals make treks on foot across Dagger Valley to gather them." Angeal explained, "And they never take more than they need."

Zack leaned forward, staring at the prickleberry illustrations. "I see… somewhat. Those thorns look pretty sharp. How **do** people manage to pick them, let alone eat them raw?"

There was a smug look in his mentor's face. "Very carefully." He rose up to his feet and began to walk away. "Anyway, the mission will take place tomorrow in the late afternoon, so this would be a good time as ever for last minute preparations."

"Oh, right!" Zack exclaimed in eagerness, standing up as well in order to follow, "Let's get it started!"

* * *

The next day, the various SOLDIER operatives began their trek at Dagger Valley, with Angeal taking the lead. Sephiroth and Genesis opted to stay behind at the base, saying that to go with them would be a hindrance for the Seconds and Thirds; after all, this mission was chosen to be part of their on-the-field training. Glancing around at his new surroundings, Zack noticed a few rock formations jutting out here and there; he had to admit, they made for some breathtaking views. But now was not the time for sightseeing. There's a monster that needs to be hunted down. What kind of monster it was, he didn't know, but one thing's for sure: it's a very powerful creature.

"Hoo! I tell you," Kunsel complained, scratching the back of his head, "walking through Dagger Valley is a real pain—and I mean _**literally**_! Sure, the Shinra-grade combat boots we're wearing right now are made to withstand this kind of terrain, but that still doesn't make the experience any more comfortable for the feet they're protecting."

The young Third couldn't help but glance down at the craggy rocks and gravel as he replied, "I guess I can say for sure that I don't blame you, now that I'm experiencing the same thing firsthand. Angeal said something about the Cosmo Canyon locals making all their treks here on foot, and feeling those rocks under my feet right now… damn, how do they do it?!"

Apparently, Angeal had overheard the conversation. "Zack, they have their own special shoes that they wear for this purpose. But no matter if it's that or the boots we're wearing, they both spell the difference between mild discomfort and sheer agony, especially when running."

"In that case, I'll take your word for it." Zack stated.

The Heart of SOLDIER nodded, and took out his standard issue sword. "We are now approaching the place where the monster has been sighted," he addressed the other SOLDIERs, "Stay alert. Whatever it is, it could be waiting for us."

The other operatives, Zack included, placed their hands on the hilt of their blades, ready to draw them out. The young Third smirked in anticipation. As the group moved forward, however, a sudden yelp filled his ears, followed by a thump… and mocking laughter.

Both Zack and Kunsel spun around to find a thin but beefy Second Class SOLDIER taunting a Third Class who was lying on the rocky ground, scrambling to get back on to his feet. "Oops!" the large SOLDIER stated mockingly, "I'm sorry! Did I get in your way?" At that, he kicked the smaller operative back down. "Maybe you should be more careful with those 'speed bumps'! Ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Zack couldn't help but glare at the punk in SOLDIER's clothing. He knew him all too well. "Tch… Jabba…" he growled, "Why did _**he**_ have to come along on this mission?"

"I'm surprised the jerk managed to reach Second Class." Kunsel agreed. Ever since Zack had joined SOLDIER, the bully, Jabba, had been the bane of his existence. He reminded the boy too much of a certain village bully he fought with back in Gongaga, and that's saying a lot. Whenever Zack would come across Jabba, he always found him beating up some poor weaker-looking SOLDIER, or even a cadet in the infantry. If that wasn't bad enough, Zack himself was the bully's favorite target in the matter of verbal assaults. Almost every time they crossed paths, Jabba would taunt him to no end, mocking his successes and insulting his failures, even going as far as to calling him names. Even now, Zack's mouth filled with the taste of bile just thinking of him; even just seeing him or hearing him was enough to make him tremble with a growing rage. Oh, how he _**hated**_ that jerk! He wanted so badly to rush over and beat Jabba to a pulp, just as the latter had done to several others. But it was only the thoughts of Angeal that prevented him from doing so and getting himself in trouble… so far. Still, that doesn't mean that he would just stand by and do nothing while a fellow Third Class was being used as the jerk's punching bag.

"Hey!" Zack barked, "Leave him alone, Jabba!"

Jabba looked up and snorted. "No way, _**Zag**_! Time flies when you're having fun, and I'm having too much fun to quit now!"

"I highly doubt that your 'punching bag' feels the same way about your idea of 'fun'." Zack shot back.

"All right, enough out of you two!" Angeal interrupted, "You need to concentrate on the task at hand." Zack nodded and drew out his sword, and all the other Seconds and Thirds did the same.

"Don't get distracted now Zag!" Jabba taunted, "Not like you have any focus to begin with!"

"Shut up, Jabba!" Zack snapped. Luckily, the bully chose to quit his banter, as a figure began to ripple in and out of view. At first glance, the shifting form seemed transparent, but there was no doubt that it was huge. A heavy growl echoed in the empty air.

"What the heck is _**that**_ thing?!" a Third Class operative gasped.

"Looks like some kind of Behemoth." Another SOLDIER noted.

"Are you sure?" a Second Class pointed out, "I think I saw wings!"

Angeal let out a small gasp. "Not good!"

"Angeal, you know what it is?" Zack asked.

The Heart of SOLDIER glanced back at the others, as the creature began to shift out of its transparent state. "Look alive everyone!" Right at that moment, the beast fully manifested itself, as if leaping out of thin air. It had the appearance of a gigantic hunched canine, as most Behemoths tend to appear to be. But this Behemoth… this one had scales, and wings like that of a dragon! It let out a powerful roar and reared up.

"Whoa!" gasped Kunsel, "I've never seen a Behemoth like that before!"

"It's one of Hojo's experiments!" Angeal stated, "I never thought that it would actually escape the lab!"

"If that's the case," Zack reasoned, "let's kick its butt before it becomes a bigger threat!"

"Good call!" Angeal stated, and sped toward the Scaled Behemoth. The sword clashed with the monster's horns, and it gave a shove that sent the Heart of SOLDIER flying backward. Thankfully, he was able to keep his balance and land on his feet, and immediately the other operatives began their assault. A Second Class SOLDIER activated his Thunder materia, stunning the beast, while Zack and another Third slashed at it with their swords. The Scaled Behemoth recovered from the shock and swiped at them with its paw; Zack barely managed to dodge the sharp claws. His comrade, on the other hand, was knocked to the ground, but nevertheless he managed to escape unharmed. Jabba, in an attempt to show off, yelled as he used the Jump materia to get on the monster's back and stab into it with his blade, and a few other operatives followed his example. This only made the Scaled Behemoth very angry, and it flapped its wings with such force that it shook every one of the SOLDIERs off its back and sent forth a gust of wind that sent rest flying. Its eyes soon locked on Kunsel, who was scrambling to his feet. He looked up just in time to see the Scaled Behemoth breathe out a fireball heading right in his direction.

"KUNSEL, WATCH OUT!" Zack shouted. The Second Class operative heard his friend's warning loud and clear, and he barely managed to leap away from the firey blast, dropping his sword in the process. The young Third glared at the monster. "I'll teach **you** to mess with my friend!" Raising his sword again, he rushed over toward its rear. "COME AND GET IT!" As he was about to strike, however, the Scaled Behemoth struck him in the stomach with its tail, and he crashed unceremoniously to the rocky ground. Considering how sharp the rocks were, it was amazing that they didn't tear his clothes too much. Before any more action could be made, the Scaled Behemoth's body shimmered, and as it charged in another direction it once more became invisible with a rippling splash in the air. "Damn! I almost had him!" Zack barked as he slowly rose up, quickly taking advantage of his Cure materia to heal the wounds inflicted by both the beast and the rocks.

The other SOLDIERs healed up as well, but Angeal kept his sword raised. "Don't let your guard down just yet." he warned, "That Scaled Behemoth is still out there." Most of the other SOLDIERs raised their swords as well, as if sensing the presence of the monster. Zack kept his senses on high alert in order to track down the beast. Or at least he tried to.

There was just one problem: Jabba.

"Ha! You called _**that**_ fighting a monster?!" the bully taunted, "A grunt can do better with a just a blitzball!"

Zack gritted his teeth. "Like _**you**_ were any different!" he growled.

"That's just a warm up!" Jabba bragged, "Wait until I start my attack on the beast for real! Compared to me, you have no place in SOLDIER!"

"Shut up!"

"Zack," Angeal stated calmly, "If he's bothering you that much, just ignore him." As much as he wanted to beat the crap out of that jerk, the young Third saw the wisdom in his mentor's words. With a nod, he started once more to tune in his senses in order to pinpoint the location of the stalking Scaled Behemoth.

"That's right Zag!" Jabba shouted with a mean grin, "Go follow your master, like the loser dog you are!"

Immediately, Zack grew stiff. Now that he _**can't**_ ignore! He spun around to face his adversary, fury in his eyes. "What did you call me?!"

"Ah, finally struck a nerve, eh?" Jabba mocked. "Didn't I say this once before?! I said you're a _**loser dog**_!"

 _Loser dog?!_ Zack thought, his anger boiling over, _How DARE you!_

"Don't listen to him, Zack!" Kunsel warned, "He's trying to psyche you out!" But no amount of advice would calm the young Third down now, not with an insult like that; the Gongaga village bully made fun of him the exact same way those many years ago!

"Maybe you should go back to kennel where you belong!" Jabba laughed, "Which reminds me—Who let the DOG out?! WOOF! WOOF-WOOF, WOOF- _ **WOOF**_!"

At that, Zack's anger finally exploded. "All right, THAT'S IT!" he roared, "I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS, YOU JERK!" And he rushed toward the bully, hands balled into fists, ready to beat him to a bloody pulp—only to have Kunsel lunge at him and pull him back.

"NO ZACK!" Kunsel shouted, "DON'T!"

Right away, the young Third started struggling to escape. "LET GO OF ME KUNSEL!"

"HE'S NOT WORTH IT, ZACK!" Kunsel tried to reason.

But Zack would have none of it. Immediately, he placed a hand on Kunsel's chest. "I SAID **LET GO**!" And he shoved his friend away with a force that sent him flying. At that exact moment, the Scaled Behemoth reappeared—right in front of Kunsel! Before the Second Class SOLDIER even had time to react, the beast caught him, biting him in the midsection with its sharp teeth! He let out a scream of pain as it began to toss him about in its jaws. In that very instant, Zack's anger turned into horror as he realized what he had done.

"KUNSEL!" Angeal exclaimed, watching as the Scaled Behemoth threw the wounded SOLDIER to the side and sent him crashing and tumbling to the ground, knocking him unconscious. Then it leapt toward him, ready to tear him to pieces with its claws—but the Heart of SOLDIER intervened, slashing the beast across its chest. It let out a roar as though in pain, and turned in a direction away from its intended path and away from the SOLDIERS, before landing hard on its paws. There was a brief pause as it looked back with a growl, as if to say 'I'll be back!', then it charged away in retreat.

Zack snapped out of his daze as he saw the Scaled Behemoth run away. A small blast of rage built up within him alongside his feelings of increasing guilt. No way was he going to let that monster get away, not after what it did to Kunsel.

Not after what _**he**_ did to Kunsel.

"HEY!" he bellowed in its direction, "Where do you think **you're** going?! GET BACK HERE!" He attempted to give chase, only to be held back once more—this time by Angeal, who blocked the path with the Buster Sword and gave his student a disapproving glare. With no one to follow it, the Scaled Behemoth leapt up and disappeared into its surroundings. It had escaped. Gritting his teeth, Zack let out a scream of frustration and tossed his sword to the ground. His rage spent, the young third turned back toward the still form of his wounded friend and his expression became that of worry. "Kunsel!" he gasped, rushing over as quickly as he could. The other operatives had already gathered around, some even trying to use their low-level Cure materia to heal the grievous wounds their fallen comrade had sustained. The bite wound was bad enough, but add that to tumbling over sharp rocks… it was not a pretty sight. The rising and falling of the Second Class' chest was a strong indicator that he was still alive, but the fast-paced wheezing sound coming from his throat made it all too clear that he was struggling just to breathe. Zack fell to his knees by his friend's side. "Kunsel, wake up! Please! Wake up!" he pleaded desperately, shaking the operative's shoulder, "I… I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to get you hurt like this!" When he got no response, his eyes misted over. "WAKE UP!" It was no use. Kunsel didn't move an inch, and that fact added to the young Third's overwhelming guilt. "Oh… Gaia, what have I done?"

"Sir!" an operative stated as Angeal approached. "Our Cure materia doesn't seem to be having any effect!"

"They've healed a few wounds," explained another, "but there's no change in status. In fact, he seems to be getting worse!"

 _That's not good!_ Angeal thought worriedly, and he scooped up the unconscious Second. "Everyone head back to the base! We need to treat Kunsel as quickly as possible!"

"Sir, yes Sir!" the SOLDIERs answered in unison, and they sped away from the scene toward the base.

Angeal once more glared at his student. "As for you, _**Zack Fair**_ , you and I are going to have a talk once we get back."

"A-Angeal!" Zack gasped as his mentor walked away from him without turning back. His shoulders sagged in sorrow; he really messed up big time. Why else would Angeal be so angry at him?

Note: Things are not looking good for either Zack or Kunsel! In the next chapter, we find out what's wrong with our Second Class SOLDIER operative, and Zack is about to come face to face with an angry mentor. What will happen after that heated confrontation?

As a side note, I'm sure you noticed the reference to Final Fantasy X, namely the blitzball. Until Next Time!


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Hey there! Welcome to my latest chapter! This section of the story is pretty short, but it sets things into motion. Zack's going to get an angry earful, and in the aftermath, his quest to save a life begins. Of course, I have a bit of a sadistic streak when it comes to heroes like Zack... Anyway, enjoy the story!

Warning: at least one curse word will be found here (You might be saying it too if you made a rather unpleasant discovery).

 **Chapter 2: A Path of Pain**

Later that evening, back at the base, Kunsel was immediately put in intensive care. The First Class Trinity, and a few other SOLDIER operatives all looked on as a doctor examined the injured Second Class thoroughly. Angeal grew especially worried. The examination was taking way too slow, and Kunsel was growing weaker and weaker by the minute! Finally, the doctor let out a sigh.

"Have you discovered what's wrong with the operative?" Genesis asked.

She looked at the Firsts with sad eyes. "Yes. And I'm afraid he is in much worse condition than we thought."

Angeal's eyes widened in shock as the doctor explained in full detail the current situation. And without a doubt, it was grim.

* * *

Outside the tents, all the other operatives waited for one of the firsts to come out. Zack dreaded that moment the most. Whenever he looked up at his fellows he was met with hateful frowns, and even glares from those that didn't have their helmets on. The message these faces gave to him was painfully clear:

 _This is all_ _your_ _fault!_

It was enough to make the young Third flinch. As if he didn't know **that** already! Did they really have to rub it in and make it worse?

Finally, Angeal came out. There was a saddened expression on his face, and Zack could guess that whatever was going on with Kunsel can't be good. But when his mentor laid eyes on him, the look of sadness immediately became a scowl. He stepped toward the young Third, and the latter bowed his head in shame. "Zack…" he finally growled, his voice hinting his increasing fury, "Do you have any IDEA what you have just done?!"

Zack visibly flinched at the acidity in his mentor's tone. Oh, he knew very well what he did, and it hurt him to the core! "I-I didn't mean to do it!" Zack muttered, "It… It's just that Jabba-"

"THAT IS _**NO EXCUSE**_!" Angeal bellowed, " _ **YOU**_ WERE THE ONE WHO PUSHED KUNSEL STRAIGHT INTO HARM'S WAY!"

"A-Angeal, I'm sorry!"

Angeal stepped closer, making his student flinch further. "Just so you know… he's not going to last much longer."

"W-w-what do you mean?" Zack asked.

"He's been poisoned Zack." Zack looked up, eyes widened in horror at the revelation. Angeal continued, "When that Scaled Behemoth bit him, it injected a venom that normal healing magic and potions cannot neutralize. Come tomorrow morning, he will be dead."

The young Third couldn't believe what he was hearing. His friend Kunsel? _Dead_?! By tomorrow morning?! No! He will not accept it! "I-if that's the case, we could use something more powerful! Elixirs, Curaga, phoenix downs-"

"All of which are currently NOT IN OUR POSSESSION!" The Heart of SOLDIER furiously interrupted, "And even if we requested those items right here and now, the Shinra postal service around here has yet to include emergency deliveries; we won't be able to receive the items until morning, and by then, it will already be _**too late**_! THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO SAVE HIM!"

"S-so we're just going to _give up_?" Zack gasped in disbelief, "We're just going to let Kunsel _**die**_?! No! We can't do that! We still have time to save him! There has to be a way-"

"NOT ANOTHER WORD FROM YOU!" By now, Angeal was right in his student's face, "You tarnished the SOLDIER name, Zack, and I will not have you tarnish it any further! Tomorrow morning, we are going to abort the mission, and when we get back to Midgar, I am going to personally strip you of your rank and have you discharged from SOLDIER, WITHOUT HONOR! _**DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR**_?!"

Those very words stabbed the young Third in the heart like a knife. Even so, he managed to reply timidly, "Y-yes Sir." With a single harsh nod, Angeal turned and walked away. One by one, the other SOLDIERs followed suit. Zack soon realized that only one operative wasn't frowning. It was Jabba, and he was giving him a sadistic smirk.

"Tough luck Zag." He chuckled, "Enjoy your last night as a SOLDIER, while you still can." And with peals of cruel laughter, he too walked away, leaving Zack standing all alone with his feelings of guilt and shame.

* * *

The Moon was full, and the stars were twinkling down over the base by Dagger Valley. Most of the occupants at that time had retired to bed, but in one tent, there was one person who just couldn't fall asleep. Zack lay in his sleeping bag, staring up at the ceiling. The horrific events of the day continued to swim in his head. "I can't believe it…" he stated to himself, "This was supposed to be the day I finally get promoted… and instead… I screwed up big time." He closed his eyes, thinking of Jabba and his cruel taunts, especially one in particular.

" **Didn't I say this once before?! I said you're a** _ **loser dog**_ **!"**

He let out a sad sigh as he opened his eyes. "In the end, I did exactly what Jabba wanted me to do: I lost my cool. Now I'm gonna get kicked out of SOLDIER. And what's worse… Kunsel is…"

" **I SAID** _ **LET GO**_ **!" And he shoved his friend away with a force that sent him flying. At that exact moment, the Scaled Behemoth reappeared—right in front of Kunsel! Before the Second Class SOLDIER even had time to react, the beast caught him, biting him in the midsection with its sharp teeth! He let out a scream of pain as it began to toss him about in its jaws. In that very instant, Zack's anger turned into horror as he realized what he had done.**

"Still… you can't just stand here and watch him die of poison." Zack noted, "I mean, to give up on him so easily without even trying… It's just not right!" There was a determined expression on his face. Even in the midst of his guilt and remorse, he refused to stay back and be a mere witness to his friend's death… especially when he's most likely the cause of it. "It's not too late… we still have a chance to save Kunsel. But how? We don't have all the things that can do the job." The young Third thought hard, and suddenly it dawned on him…

"… **prickleberries are known best for their powerful healing properties, especially wild prickleberries; at least ten berries are used to create a medicine that can cure even the most serious of wounds."**

He rose up in a sitting position. "That's it!" he gasped, smiling for the first time since the incident, "The Cosmo Thorns! _**Their**_ healing properties are _**more**_ than enough to save Kunsel!" He glanced around his tent. "Of course, I can't tell Angeal about it, or anyone else for that matter. They're probably so pissed off at me, they wouldn't even want to listen." He let out a sigh. "I guess I have no choice: I'll have to go to Dagger Valley and get those berries myself!" He took out his cellphone, flipping it open to check the time. "11:30 PM. No time like the present!" With that, he rose out of his sleeping bag and stepped out of his tent, dropping his phone and forgetting to put on his boots. He quickly noticed the small bag hanging close to the entrance of Kunsel's empty tent. "I'm sure Kunsel won't mind me taking this." He stated as he retrieved the bag, "You can't gather prickleberries without it!" It was indeed the perfect bag for gathering berries; by the size alone, he could guess that it could hold up to at least twenty wild prickleberies, enough to make two healing elixirs from their juice. Standing barefoot at the grassy edge, Zack faced the rocky scene with a confident smile and proudly put his hands on his hips. If this was going to be his last night as a SOLDIER, he might as well make the most of it—and maybe, just maybe, redeem himself in the eyes of SOLDIER in the process. "All right, let's do this!" And in an instant, he was off, sprinting into Dagger Valley on his lonely quest for the Cosmo Thorns.

* * *

It was easy to navigate in the Valley at the time, as the soft moonlight was bright enough to light the way. Zack wasn't sure how far he had gotten since he left the base, nor did he know how long he had been sprinting, but he had this feeling. Wherever those prickleberries were located, somehow he had a hunch that he was going in the right direction.

With his mind occupied with thoughts of prickleberries and Kunsel, however, he was hardly aware of the sharp craggy rocks that cut his bare feet with each step he took. But it wasn't long before he started to notice the searing pain that followed. At first it was small, rather insignificant. But as he traveled farther into the wasteland, it started growing in its intensity. He soon began to notice that the pain came in almost _rhythmic_ stabbings, located somewhere in the lower part of his body. He tried to ignore it, but soon the pain became great enough to force him to slow his sprint into a jog. The soles of his feet had already started bleeding by then, but still he ran. Finally, he felt his right foot slip over a particularly rugged stone, and as it scraped cruelly against his skin...

"AAAAGH! OW!"

He stumbled a bit, but managed to keep his balance, taking a few more steps before grounding to a halt. He spun around to find a trail of red footprints, still wet against the stones. Then he realized that the toes of the footprints were pointing toward _**him**_. His gaze followed the trail likewise, and only then did he finally look down at his feet. His eyes widened in shocked realization.

Exposed skin… ten toes… freshly drawn blood…

Oh… _shit_!

" _ **Damn it**_! _**Why**_?!" Zack screamed in frustration as he sat down, "WHY DID I RUN OFF IN MY BARE FEET?!" He traced his gloved fingers across his right foot, and he winced, hissing in pain as they touched the cuts and scrapes. He dropped his hand and sighed. "Dagger Valley sure is living up to its name tonight…" Looking over his surroundings, he soon realized something else. "If that's not enough, I left both my sword and all my materia behind… and that monster is still out there somewhere." For a moment, he sat still, letting a cool breeze blow upon him. Then he shook his head. "No use turning back now. I have to keep going and get those prickleberries! Kunsel's life depends on them!"

With renewed determination, Zack stood up once more to continue his journey—and his self-inflicted torture.

The pain had forced him to slow down significantly, and even then it continued to increase. He couldn't help but take in a sharp breath with every footfall upon the dangerous edges and points of the valley's rocks and gravel. As far as he knew, it was very much like walking on sharp knives, or even broken glass! Of course, glass was a more fragile obstacle compared to rocks, but that's beside the point. Yet in spite of the agony, Zack continued to forge ahead toward his goal. No amount of pain in his bleeding feet was going to get in the way of saving his friend! He was so caught up with the thoughts of his task, and of enduring the pain, that he never noticed the ominous figure stalking him from behind.

Note: I told you I was sadistic. :D How could I resist, especially since Zack's the only FFVII hero thus far I ever saw go barefoot in the actual game (Costa Del Sol, anyone)? Even now, I picture the camera focusing on Zack's bare feet as they run on the sharp rocks. In the next chapter, it turns out Zack is not the only one feeling guilt over their actions, and what's going to happen once Zack finally reaches his goal? Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

Note: And here we are, at another chapter of our story! As I have originally written this story in one whole document, it was not easy to divide into chapters. Again, don't mind if this chapter is short, because the it gives some oomph to the tale. In this chapter we learn who's being troubled by his actions, and at the same moment, Zack reaches his destination. Enjoy!

 **Chapter 3: A Haunting Conscience and a Goal in Reach**

It turned out that Zack wasn't the only one that was having trouble falling asleep. Angeal tried to get himself to rest, but it was to no avail. Now that his anger had faded, he had time to think things through more clearly. He thought back to his confrontation with Zack, the evening after the ill-fated confrontation with the Scaled Behemoth. And he was, without a doubt, overwhelmed with guilt and regret.

" **Zack… Do you have any IDEA what you have just done?!"**

" **I-I didn't mean to do it!" Zack muttered, "It… It's just that Jabba-"**

" **THAT IS** _ **NO EXCUSE**_ **!" Angeal bellowed, "** _ **YOU**_ **WERE THE ONE WHO PUSHED KUNSEL STRAIGHT INTO HARM'S WAY!"**

" **A-Angeal, I'm sorry!"**

" **You tarnished the SOLDIER name, Zack, and I will not have you tarnish it any further! Tomorrow morning, we are going to abort the mission, and when we get back to Midgar, I am going to personally strip you of your rank and have you discharged from SOLDIER, WITHOUT HONOR!** _ **DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR**_ **?!"**

Angeal couldn't help but flinch at the thought of those last words in particular. He didn't really mean what he said. It disgusted him to think that he actually uttered such a thing to Zack, of all people, in the blindness of his rage. True, his student did something truly horrible by putting an operative's life in danger, but now he understood that the young Third truly and sincerely regretted those actions. _Poor Zack,_ he thought, _All he wanted was to atone for his mistake. And I didn't even give him a chance. And as for Kunsel…_

" **THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO SAVE HIM!"**

" **S-so we're just going to** _ **give up**_ **?" Zack gasped in disbelief, "We're just going to let Kunsel** _ **die**_ **?! No! We can't do that! We still have time to save him! There has to be a way-"**

Angeal sighed. _Zack is right. We can't give up so easily like this! It would do Kunsel a huge disservice if we did!_ With those thoughts, the Heart of SOLDIER had made up his mind. He owed Zack an apology, big time. Rising out of his sleeping bag and pausing to put on his boots, Angeal stepped out of his tent to walk toward that of Zack's. And he didn't have far to walk. He was surprised to find two other SOLDIER operatives approaching. The consisted of a Second and a Third, and when they looked up and saw him, he could tell that they were feeling the same way.

"Commander Hewley!" The Second gasped.

"Can't sleep?" The Third asked.

Angeal gave a sad smile. "Not a wink. What brings you here?"

The two SOLDIERs bowed their heads in shame. "We're here to see Zack." explained the Third. "We want to apologize to him."

"Yeah," confessed the Second, "We've been total douchebags toward him… Sure, he did a terrible thing putting Kunsel's life in danger, but he's a good guy; he felt really bad about what he did. We know that now, and we want to help him redeem himself."

The Heart of SOLDIER couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Well, it looks like you and I are on the same page when it comes to that."

"Really?" the Third gasped.

"Really." Angeal confirmed, "Let's go apologize together. We owe him that much. I'll go get him out." The Heart of SOLDIER slowly stepped into the tent. "Zack?" No answer. He spoke again. "Zack… are you in here? I… I want to apologize. What I said to you earlier… I didn't mean it." Again, he was met with silence. It was then that he noticed that the sleeping bag was empty. "Zack?" he called out again, inspecting the tent. "Zack? _**Zack**_?!" It was now painfully clear that his student was nowhere to be found in the tent. Worry started to creep over him. Where was his student? He rushed out of the tent.

"He's not here?" the operative asked in growing concern.

"No." Angeal stated, "Search the base. He couldn't have gone too far."

"Yes Sir!" the operatives answered in unison, and the three of them split up to commence the search. More would join the search, all haunted by their guilty conscience, but none of them were aware, as of yet, that Zack was much farther from them than they thought.

* * *

It had been four hours into his journey since he left the base, four hours of excruciating pain, and now Zack had come across a deep chasm, kneeling at the edge. It was spacious, and he was surprised to find that plant life dotted here and there in the corners of the walls. In one part, there stood a lone tree, its branches barren of all but a few leaves. Even so, there were other spots that had healthy patches of green amid an otherwise barren and equally rocky ground. Of particular note was a patch of leaves rested on a small cliff. All had a distinct horn shape at the base. The young Third recognized the plant immediately, glad that he snooped into one of Angeal's nature books and read a little about it. It was dragonsbane, and its leaves were highly poisonous, especially to reptilian creatures. As his mako blue eyes scanned downward, he saw that, not so far away, there was a patch of plants with a very familiar-looking fruit bearing needle sharp thorns. He grinned.

"There they are! The prickleberries!" His grin faded a bit though, as he took in his next obstacle. "But how do I get down from here? It's a real doozy." Looking to the side, he noticed another patch of greenery with a tangle of vines. An idea struck him. Maybe… Zack stepped over to gather some of the vines, choosing one that was twisted like a natural rope. Then he wrapped part of it around a small boulder, giving it a tug to ensure it security. "Good," he stated in satisfaction, "That'll do." Now fully prepared, he put the vine to good use climbing down the cliff. The surface was as rugged as the rest of the valley, so it wasn't easy to keep himself steady with a pair of badly wounded feet. Somehow, though, he was able to stabilize himself during the climb. For a moment, he looked down to check how high he was from the ground. "Almost there…" Suddenly, there was a loud snapping sound coming from above. He looked up to see that the vine was about to break from the top. Uh-oh! He rushed as much as he could in the downward climb before the vine finally snapped in two. Quickly he pushed himself into a jump to avoid a nasty tumble. Soon he found himself landing on his injured feet. Hard.

"OW!" he cried once more before he stumbled and fell on his knees. He trembled from the impact of the searing pain that followed, but slowly he recovered. "Made it! It's a rough landing, but I made it!" He stood up, and carefully stepped over toward the patch of Cosmo Thorns, ignoring the additional pain in his feet. He kneeled down in front of the pale pink berries, panting heavily from all the effort he put in for this moment. Then he looked down, smiling at the fruit before him. "These look ripe enough, I think. Well, as I said before, no time like the present!" But just as he reached out to pluck a single prickleberry, a large shadow suddenly encompassed over him and the patch, blocking his view. Then a low menacing growl echoed from behind him. Slowly he turned around. A certain monster loomed over him, a monster that had come to be all too familiar.

"Oh…NO!" he groaned, partly in fear and partly in annoyance, "NOT _**YOU**_ AGAIN!"

With that, Scaled Behemoth swiped at the young Third with its claws. He barely managed to dodge the attack, ducking from under the beast before he started running, leading it to chase after him. _Just my luck!_ He thought, _Now I have_ _one more_ _obstacle standing in the way!_

Note: Evil Cliffhanger! In the next chapter, Angeal continues his search. What will happen if he finds out where his student had gone? Will he be able to reach him in time to stop the Scaled Behemoth? Until Next Time!


	4. Chapter 4

Note: Hello again my friends! It's time for another chapter in this story! Angeal is about to learn where Zack had gone missing. Meanwhile, Zack is in the midst of an unexpected rematch with the Scaled Behemoth! What's going to happen? And what about that bully Jabba? Well, you'll have to read and find out! Enjoy!

By the way, there's a reference to the book "Why Mosquitos Buzz in People's Ears", which I do NOT OWN.

 **Chapter 4: Overcoming Obstacles**

Back at the base, Angeal and the other SOLDIER operatives had searched frantically for his lost student. Thus far, they all came out empty-handed. Before long, they were back where they started: in front of Zack's tent. Two familiar figures approached, and neither of them seemed pleased with their friend. "Angeal," Genesis stated bluntly, "Do you mind telling us what's going on? Some of us are trying to sleep, you know."

"I'm sorry." Angeal replied, "I'm looking for Zack. You didn't happen to pass by him, did you?"

"No, we didn't." Sephiroth answered.

The Heart of SOLDIER sighed in worry. "Where could he have gone? The operatives and I have searched everywhere! It's like he vanished into thin air!"

"Have you tried calling him on his phone?" the General suggested.

Angeal slapped his forehead as the idea sank in. "Oh, of course! Why didn't I think of that before?!" Immediately, he took out his cell phone and dialed the number. He waited for a few seconds… and something unexpected happened.

A ringing noise echoed, not far from his location.

All eyes darted toward Zack's empty tent. An operative rushed in, prompting the Frist Class Trinity to follow. Angeal grew pale as the operative picked up the source of the ringing noise from the sleeping bag. It was Zack's phone. "Not good!" the operative muttered, "Zack would never leave his phone behind like this! Come to think of it, his sword and materia are all here too."

"Not to mention his boots!" another operative noted, as Genesis picked up the pair of said footwear.

Sephiroth frowned, and it didn't go unnoticed. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Sephiroth?" Genesis queried.

"Angeal," the General continued, "You searched everywhere in this area?"

"Everywhere I could think of." Angeal replied. "But I found no trace of Zack."

Sephiroth nodded. "Then that leaves out the one place we didn't look." He gazed out at the place in question. "Dagger Valley."

Angeal let out a gasp of horror. His student couldn't possibly have run away from the base… could he? Did he really hurt the boy's feelings that much? "Are you sure Sephiroth?" Genesis queried.

"Absolutely." Sephiroth replied, "Judging by the evidence left behind, I can guess that Zack has run off into Dagger Valley—alone, barefoot and unarmed."

"Oh no!" Angeal gasped with a sense of dread, and rushed toward the Valley.

The other two Firsts stared at their friend in surprise. "Angeal!" the General gasped.

The Heart of SOLDIER spun around to face his friend. "That Scaled Behemoth is still out there, and if what you said is true, then Zack is extremely vulnerable! He wouldn't stand a chance against that thing if they happen to cross paths again! I have to find him before _**it**_ does!"

"We won't let you go out there alone, Angeal!" Genesis declared. "We're coming with you!"

Staring at his two friends, he couldn't help but smile. "Sephiroth… Genesis… you both have my thanks. Let's go!"

"Commander!" one of the operatives called out, "How can we help?"

"You stay here and keep an eye on Kunsel." Angeal ordered, "We'll be back as soon as we find Zack!"

"Yes Sir!" the SOLDIERs called out, and the First Class Trinity sped into Dagger Valley. No sooner than they departed than a voice among them spoke out, rather cruelly I might add.

"Hmph." Jabba scoffed, "So what if the loser dog gets eaten by that Behemoth in the Valley? That's one less unworthy wannabe on my list."

The other operatives began their chatter. "Hey, have you heard of the monkey that killed an owl chick?"

"Yeah, but that's only because he was alarmed by a crow…"

"Who was startled by a rabbit…"

"Who was scared by a python…"

"Who was frightened by an iguana…"

And all the SOLDIERs glared at the bully as they finished, "Who just so happened to be annoyed… by a _**mosquito**_!"

Jabba blinked as the Seconds and Thirds began to surround him. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Two operatives looked at each other and one put out his hand. "For Zack?" he queried.

"For Zack." Answered the other, and he completed the handshake before turning his attention back at the bully. "LET'S GET HIM!" With a yell, the operatives pounced on Jabba, fists flying.

"H-HEY! WHAT THE-! HEY STOP! ARGH! HELP!" Jabba protested in vain as he finally found himself getting a taste of his own medicine—in the form of a long awaited beatdown!

And, as if he had sensed the events happening right outside the base, the unconscious form of Kunsel gave a small smile.

* * *

Bare feet sped across sharp stones as Zack rushed to avoid another of the Scaled Behemoth's attacks. Using its wings for momentum, the beast leapt up to try and pounce on its victim. In a split second, Zack unleashed a burst of speed, narrowly avoiding the force of deadly claws. The impact of the monster's landing was enough to force him into a tumble, rolling himself in a way to avoid a nasty crash. Once on his feet again, though, he found himself sliding—scraping his left foot in the process! He let out a cry of pain and grew stiff, and he had no time to avoid the monster's headbutt. He was lucky that the horns didn't pierce through him, but he was tossed into the air with such force that he landed a good distance away with a crash. He couldn't be more thankful for his SOLDIER training, as he was able to survive with some minor scratches; he already had to deal with the cuts and scrapes on his feet! Slowly rising to his knees, he glared at the Scaled Behemoth. "Damn…" he muttered, "I can't run away from that thing forever! I'm gonna have to fight… but what am I gonna do without my sword or my materia?" He glanced up, immediately noticing the barren tree. And resting on a small cliff, not very far from the tree…

His eyes widened with sudden inspiration. "Of course!" he gasped before his lips curled into a confident grin. "That might do just nicely!" Immediately he dashed toward the tree, picking up a dagger-shaped rock along the way, and jumped up to snap off a long, strong-looking branch with a sharped tip, brandishing it like a makeshift sword after a graceful landing. Undeterred, the Scaled Behemoth let out a menacing roar. "You think you're so tough, eh?" Zack taunted, "Let's try this again, shall we?" And with that, he rushed toward the beast, ready to swipe at its rear. And once more the Scaled Behemoth swiped its tail at him. This time, however, the young Third was well prepared for that maneuver, and he leapt backward out of the tail's range. He rushed forward again, swinging the branch and striking the beast. The weapon was no sword, and it barely made a few scratches with its sharp points, but it was amazingly sturdy in Zack's hands. Still, the damage it currently made wasn't significant enough, so he brought out the sharp rock and slashed its hind leg. It did its job well in spite of the hard scales, and the monster roared in pain. It began to turn away, ready to leap into invisibility. "OH, NO YOU DON'T!" Zack shouted, and channeled his energy to unleash a limit break, a Blade Beam, and swung it toward a large standing rock, breaking the tip off into a boulder that crashed right on top of the beast. It wasn't enough to kill it, but it definitely kept it from escaping and from becoming invisible. The beast roared in anger, struggling to lift the heavy weight off its back.

"That'll buy me some time." Zack stated to himself, "I'd better hurry and get that dragonsbane!" Quickly, he climbed up the tree and jumped over to the Cliffside where the plant in question grew. Keeping his bleeding feet away from the poisonous leaves, the young Third pulled some up. "It's a good thing I'm wearing my gloves." He noted, "I heard this stuff is dangerous to handle." The Scaled Behemoth pushed itself free from the annoying boulder, but even then Zack had enough time to rub the dragonsbane leaves on the 'blade' of the rock and coat it with its poison. Enraged at this persistent human, it exhaled a fireball toward him. He barely had enough time to avoid the blast, jumping off the small cliff before the patch of dragonsbane caught on fire. Again, the beast swiped at the boy with its paw, who merely tumbled away from the claws as he rushed once more toward its tail end. "ALL RIGHT," he shouted, "IT'S TIME TO END THIS!" The Scaled Behemoth rose up on its hind legs and spread its wings, ready to bring forth a gust of powerful wind, but that was when the young Third made his move. Using all his strength, Zack thrust the dragonsbane-coated stone into the open wound on its hind leg. The poison did its work almost immediately, and the beast collapsed on all fours, paralyzed. But the paralysis wasn't going to last for long, and the young Third knew it. _Good!_ he thought, _Now's my chance!_ Lifting the branch, he channeled all his energy into another limit break.

"THIS IS FOR KUNSEL!" he roared, and with a yell, he leapt up high and plunged the sharp point of the branch straight into the Scaled Behemoth's skull. The monster let out a strained roar of pain, blood spraying from what proved to be a fatal wound. Zack leapt away as it began to thrash about before finally it fell to the rocky ground with a resounding crash. Then all was still, all was silent. Seeing that the Scaled Behemoth was dead, Zack leaned against a rocky wall and sat down, panting heavily. The unexpected battle left him covered in blood and sweat, and as his adrenaline started to fade, the stabbing pain in his feet returned with a vengeance. It was enough for him to shut his eyes and emit a long hiss; the agony was even worse than before, and it had become so great he could barely feel the pain on the rest of his body! Nevertheless, he laid still for a moment. Then, he proceeded to remove his gloves, soaked in dragonsbane, and discard them. He didn't know if the poison would spread by touch, and he certainly didn't want to find out. "All right… no more time to waste. Let's go get the prickleberries." With new resolve, he rose up and stepped toward the patch. Kneeling down near the ripe berries he let out a sigh of relief. "Good. The berries are safe." He took out the bag and opened it up, then reached a hand toward the berries. Of course, without a pair of gloves to protect his now-vulnerable fingers, he soon discovered firsthand why the fruit was given its namesake.

"OW!"

He quickly withdrew, clutching his right hand. Looking down, he could already see blood trickling down from his pricked fingers. "Damn! They don't call them 'prickleberries' for nothing!" He quickly shook his head. "C'mon Zack, man up! Kunsel needs these berries!" Once more, he proceeded to gather the prickleberries, and this time he didn't hold back. The thorns stung his fingers mercilessly, but one by one, he gathered as much berries as he figured were needed. As an extra precaution, he filled the bag with exactly twenty berries. However, he himself refused to eat a single berry, even though he knew that doing so would heal his wounds. They were for Kunsel after all.

Satisfied, Zack sealed up the bag. "Okay, that's done! Now all I need to do is head back." He scanned the chasm walls, looking for a way back up to where he came. Luckily, he noticed the indents sticking out on the walls and he didn't hesitate to climb his way back up. It was not easy, given the injuries on his hands and feet, and the cuts on his fingers were minor! He slipped a couple of times, and it took all the strength he had to keep from falling. Once he reached the top, he rolled onto his back, trembling and exhausted from the effort. The bag was carefully laid on the side to avoid crushing its precious cargo. After a few moments lying still in this manner, he finally sat up. Soon he found himself gazing at a familiar trail of bloody footprints.

And he realized that he had to go back to the base the same way he came. Which was the last thing he wanted to do.

Zack shook his head and sighed as he stood up, taking the bag full of Cosmo Thorns. "Boy, oh boy!" he groaned, "Dagger Valley really hates me tonight!" He paused for a moment, staring at the sharp rocks. "Well… here we go again!" And with that, he stepped once more upon the treacherous ground. Excruciating pain overwhelmed him, giving him pause. He let out a cry of pain but nevertheless, he was determined to keep walking. "You know… who would have thought—OW—that you would feel **both** —AGH—the thrill of victory… _**and**_ the agony of de-'feet' at the same time!" Even in pain, Zack couldn't help but grin. At least he could crack a joke in the face of adversity.

* * *

"ZACK!" Angeal shouted out, his voice echoing in the wasteland. " **ZACK!** " It had been nearly an hour in the Trinity's search, and the Heart of SOLDIER was growing more and more worried by the minute. And that didn't help to ease his guilt one bit. "ZACK!" he called out again. When no response came, his strong shoulders slumped in growing despair. "Oh Sephiroth, it's all my fault! If only I had given him a chance to redeem himself…"

"It's going to be fine Angeal." Sephiroth reassured, "We'll find your lost puppy." Genesis stared down at the ground and suddenly stepped ahead of his friends. "Genesis!" Sephiroth stated, "Did you find something?"

The SOLDIER in red knelt down. He had discovered something all right, and he winced at the sight. " _My soul, corrupted by vengeance… hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey…_ " He let out a hiss of sympathy. "Sephiroth was right about Zack going barefoot. Look here." And the rest of the First Class Trinity did.

Right before them, there were footprints formed of blood. Just from the shape alone, they could tell that the one who made those footprints had no shoes at all. And he had been running. Angeal grew pale. He could only imagine the kind of pain his pupil was going through.

"It's your call Angeal." Genesis stated, "What do we do now?"

Snapping out of his trance, Angeal expressed his determination. "It's painfully obvious, isn't it? Follow those footprints! If we're lucky, they'll lead us to Zack! And hopefully, he'll still be alive!" The other two nodded, and they all began to follow the trail.

Note: You know, when you think about it, Zack can be quite the warrior's MacGyver: in the actual game, he used an umbrella as a weapon (again, thank Costa Del Sol for that tidbit)!

And so in spite of his victory over the Scaled Behemoth, Zack's torture continues! Muhahaha! But don't worry: in the next chapter, his ordeal is gonna be over soon! How? You'll just have to wait and see! Until Next Time!


	5. Chapter 5

Note: And here we come to yet another chapter of my story! Of course, it'll be a while before I update the rest of the story, as I'll be going on a trip for the weekend, but I'll return on Sunday to finish this up! Anyway, let's get on with it. Poor Zack is suffering right now, but don't worry, help in finally on the way! Be ready for a heartwarming moment between a mentor and his student!

 **Chapter 5: Forgiveness at Suffering's End**

In a rather sick twist of irony, Zack was also following the same trail of blood—but in the other direction. "Ow… this sure gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, 'retracing your steps'." He muttered, and looked down at the source of the previous trail. Each step he took on the razor sharp stones sent him in further into a world of pain; his feet were practically soaked in his own blood, crisscrossed with nasty scrapes, agonizing cuts and even a blister or two. The pain itself was becoming more and more unbearable. He could feel his body trembling, especially his legs; he was finally growing weak from blood loss. That alone was enough to make him stumble, causing more self-inflicted wounds, but he didn't dare let himself fall. He winced in agony, letting out a hiss. It was a miracle that there were no broken bones made throughout his ordeal thus far. Still it was getting hard to concentrate, and his lack of focus was bad enough already. "Gaia, it hurts so much… N-NO! Get a hold of yourself, Zack! You have… to keep walking…OW! D-do it for Kunsel!" The young Third then looked at the sky. "H-h-how long has it been? What time is it? I-it's not… morning yet, is it?" Another stab of pain in his feet, another flinching pause. "I hope I'm not… too late. AH! H-hang in there Kunsel! I'm coming!" Renewing his determination, he trudged onward. He had just taken a few more steps when his eyes suddenly caught movement up ahead. Peering ahead, he could make out three figures, one of them looking awfully familiar. He blinked in surprise. Was he dreaming? It was obvious the figures were coming toward him. For all he knew, it might have been a hallucination. There's only one way to find out. "HEY!" he shouted as loud as he can, "HEEEEEEY! ANGEAL!"

Angeal looked up toward the sound of a voice he feared he would never hear again. His mako blue eyes widened upon seeing a figure ahead of him, Sephiroth and Genesis—a familiar figure indeed! "Zack?" he gasped, unable to believe he wasn't dreaming. He quickened his pace. "ZACK! Is that really you?!"

"Angeal!" Zack responded joyfully, "Boy, you sure are a sight for sore—AAAHHH!" He soon found himself on one knee, struck down by the force of a particularly painful step. "OW! Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…!"

His face full of concern, the Heart of SOLDIER quickened his pace, with Sephiroth and Genesis close behind him. " _ **ZACK**_! Zack, are you all right?!"

The young Third stood up, his legs trembling. "I-I'm okay!" he tried to reassure, "I'm okay…" He had only taken a few more steps when he suddenly felt lightheaded and began to collapse from the pain. Luckily, Angeal managed to reach his student and catch him in his arms, helping him stand. The physical contact was more than enough to confirm to both parties that they were indeed the real thing. "R-really, I'm fine! OW!" The other two Firsts caught up, and they ground to a halt upon seeing the young Third in his current state. He was battered and bruised, as though he had gone through a raging battle. But as Angeal looked down, he could see right away that the worst injuries were on Zack's feet, the scratches and blood marring the otherwise flawless skin.

"Oh Zack…" he sighed.

"Well, at least he's still alive." Sephiroth noted. "That's cause for relief."

"I don't know about you," Genesis stated in sympathy, "but I cannot imagine walking over those rocks in his footsteps. Such torture…"

Angeal looked toward his friends. "Genesis, Sephiroth, you go on back to the base. I'll meet up with you later."

"Are you sure?" Sephiroth asked.

"I'll be all right." Angeal reassured, "Besides, I need to take care of a few things."

"But what about the Scaled Behemoth?" Genesis asked.

"D-don't worry!" Zack assured, "He won't bother us anymore! Trust me!"

There was a pause among the stunned and confused Trinity, before the General replied, "If you insist." The SOLDIER in red nodded in agreement and the two Firsts made their way back, leaving Angeal with his student.

"C'mon Zack," he stated, "I'm going to get you fixed up a bit, okay?"

"O-okay…" Zack muttered, wincing in pain as he was led, half-limping, toward a large standing stone.

"Careful." Angeal stated, "Easy does it." At last he helped Zack sit down. The boy let out a shuddering breath, leaning back against the stone as his mentor knelt down to further examine his injuries—especially the ones on his feet. Again, the Heart of SOLDIER sighed. "This won't do at all. Compared to the rest of your body, your feet are in really bad shape! It's a shame I forgot to bring a Cure Materia with me… but at least I can still do something to help." He brought out a canteen filled with water and undid the lid. "Brace yourself Zack; it might sting a bit, understand?" Zack nodded, and his mentor poured the canteen's contents over each foot.

"Ah-ah-AAAAAHH!" Zack screamed, leaning himself back toward the rock behind him, gritting his teeth and curling his hands into fists as he let out a hiss of pain. "IT HURTS! Oh Gaia, it hurts! AGH!"

"I know Zack, I'm sorry." Angeal stated in a soft tone as he continued to pour the water over the injuries, "I just don't want those wounds to get infected, okay?"

The young Third nodded. "You mean well." Having cleaned his pupil's feet as much as he could, Angeal took a knife and cut into his pant leg, tearing out some black fabric. "A-Angeal? Why are you tearing up your uniform?"

"You're more important right now." Angeal replied, taking Zack's right foot and wrapping the cloth around it like makeshift bandages. "Besides, I can always order another new set." As the Heart of SOLDIER proceeded to bandage the young Third's left foot in a similar manner, he decided to bring up his questions. "Zack, what in Minerva's name were you thinking?! It's dangerous enough to run off into Dagger Valley alone like that… but to run off _**barefoot**_ , and with no weapons and materia to protect yourself? I was so worried about you!"

"I'm sorry Angeal." Zack stated, "But I left the base for a good reason!" And to prove it, he took out the bag and revealed its contents.

Angeal couldn't help but gaze in amazement. Carefully he took a fruit out and held it in his hand. "Prickleberries!" he gasped. And they were not just any prickleberries, he realized: they were wild prickleberries!

"They have powerful healing properties, right?" Zack noted, "If they couldn't save Kunsel, I don't know what will!"

The Heart of SOLDIER gazed at his student in wonder. He really went through all this pain and suffering, running barefoot on a valley of razor sharp stones, just to gather those life-saving berries? So foolish, and yet so brave! "Zack… Th-that's incredible! Prickleberries? I never thought about using those to save your friend! Why didn't you _**tell**_ me about this?! And that you were going out to find them?! I could have come along and helped you!"

At those words, Zack sadly hung his head. "You were angry at me… for what I did to Kunsel in the first place. In fact, _**everyone**_ was angry at me. So even if I _**did**_ try to tell you, none of you would want to listen. And since it's my fault Kunsel's in this mess… I _**feel**_ as though I had to do it alone. Not that it would matter: there's a chance that, in spite of all my efforts, I'm still going to be kicked out of SOLDIER."

Upon hearing his pupil's explanation, Angeal was once more overwhelmed by the crushing feelings of his guilt. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Zack, you're _**not**_ going to be kicked out of SOLDIER."

"B-but you said-"

"I didn't mean it. We're still going to abort the mission, but you're not going to lose your rank, nor will I be discharging you." Angeal let out a sigh. "I'm sorry I got angry at you. I was just so worried about your friend that I wasn't thinking clearly."

"I… I see what you mean." Zack replied, "But still, I was responsible for what happened. I was the one who pushed Kunsel into the teeth of that monster."

"You didn't do it on purpose." Angeal pointed out, "You were caught up in your own anger. I understand that now."

"It's still no excuse."

"Zack, you feel remorse for your actions, right?"

"Of course I do!" Zack retorted. "I wouldn't be seeking to make amends if I didn't!"

"And that's why I should have given you that chance."

The young Third paused before his lips curled into sad smile. "I guess we both made some mistakes, didn't we?"

Angeal gave a proud smile of his own. "We sure did. But you also did some things that made me proud of you. Even when everyone else had lost hope of saving Kunsel, you alone refused to give up. In fact, you were the one who thought of the Cosmo Thorns when no one else did, and you went out of your way to go and get them, even if it meant putting yourself through excruciating pain." He once more glanced at the berries. "Come to think of it, I'm surprised you didn't eat any of those. They could have helped to heal the wounds you have now."

"I know, but if I did, there wouldn't be any left for Kunsel." Zack reasoned, "He may need all of them in his condition!"

"You're a brave, selfless and honorable young man Zack." Angeal praised, "I wish SOLDIER had more people with those same qualities."

"Thanks Angeal." Zack replied gratefully. With that, the Heart of SOLDIER helped him up. "By the way, what time is it?"

"4:45 A.M." Angeal answered, "Why do you ask?"

Zack gasped, remembering the deadline of his task. "Oh! We better hurry back to the base before sunrise! Kunsel's life is at stake!"

"I couldn't agree more." Angeal noted, "But you're in no condition to continue walking the way you are now. I'll carry you the rest of the way."

"I-I'll be fine Angeal!" Zack protested weakly, "If you're worried about me, how about you let me borrow your boots for a while?"

The Heart of SOLDIER grew stiff, but then smirked. "And subject _**myself**_ to the same torture  you went through? I don't think so!"

"Yeah, I figured as much…" Zack finally replied, climbing onto his mentor's back.

Note: Ah yes, torturing Angeal in a similar manner does seem pretty tempting to me for some reason. But I won't do that to him in this story. In the next chapter, Zack and Angeal return to the base, but did they make it in time to save Kunsel? Until Next time!


	6. Chapter 6

Note: Hey there guys! I'm back from my trip, and good news! I'm finally finished with my fic! I would like to thank everyone who had followed me to this point, especially my friend DragonRedfox! Here, Angeal and Zack return, but will they be able to save Kunsel? And will the training mission really be aborted? Get ready for the conclusion to The Guilt Trip. Enjoy!

 **Chapter 6: Redemption and its Reward**

The sunrise had barely started showing its colors, and the young operatives gazed at the valley for any signs of life. Sephiroth and Genesis had returned without their friend, but they had confirmed that they had found Zack, injured but otherwise safe and sound. There was a huge wave of relief at the news, though the anxiety for his safety had yet to dissipate. The Scaled Behemoth was still out there as far as they knew. Two tense hours had passed… and then finally, a Third Class SOLDIER spotted movement in the valley. "Hey! HEY LOOK!" the operative called out in relieved excitement, "It's Commander Hewley! He's back! And he's got Zack with him!"

Sure enough, there was Angeal walking toward them, carrying his student piggyback with legs tucked around his strong arms. Zack had his own arms resting on his mentor's shoulders, gripping the bag of Cosmo Thorns securely in one hand. The other operatives rushed over to greet their friend. "Zack! Are you okay?"

"We're so sorry man! We didn't mean to turn our backs on you!"

"Holy crap Zack!" A This Class SOLDIER exclaimed, "You really ran off in your bare feet?!"

A Second Class operative winced in sympathy. "Aw man, Dagger Valley really did a number on you!"

"I just can't imagine…"

Zack chuckled in gratitude. "Thanks for worrying about me guys, but we got some work to do! Is there anyone among you that can make some prickleberry juice?"

Confused by the question, an operative nevertheless volunteered. "I can!"

"Good!" Zack replied, holding up the bag, "Because I got the main ingredient!"

* * *

Everything became clear once they arrived at the medical tent where Kunsel lay in his cot. Two glasses of prickleberry juice were made on the spot, after the berries had been washed off first. During the process, a team of doctors set to work patching up the wounded Zack. A low level Cure materia was used to treat the injuries on his body, though its power was not enough to heal his feet. Still, even though the doctors insisted he drink some of the prickleberry juice, Zack refused to take a single sip. Instead, he took the first cup and carefully poured its life saving contents into the lips of the unconscious Kunsel, making sure that he didn't choke on it in the act. Then he stepped back, painfully, and waited.

The Second Class's breathing became more steady, and slowly, some of his injuries began to heal. A doctor stepped forward to examine his patient, noticing in his amazement the change in the heartbeat to a normal rhythm. "This is good news!" he declared softly, "The poison in his system is being neutralized."

"He's still in critical condition," another doctor noted, "but at least he's beginning to stabilize."

The operatives let out a sigh of relief. The prickleberry juice was definitely working. But Zack didn't feel like celebrating yet. "Then let's give him another dose, to make certain."

"A good suggestion, Mr. Fair," A female doctor stated, "But at least let us treat your feet first. Are you sure you don't want even a small sip of the medicine you helped to make?"

"Of course I don't!" Zack answered, "Kunsel needs it more than I do!"

"Well brace yourself then." The doctor warned, "Commander Hewley did good with his First Aid, but he's no expert healer."

Seating himself in a cot close by his friend, Zack thankfully took the warning to heart: the cleaning was more thorough, and made more agonizing by the disinfecting process—so agonizing, in fact, that he actually screamed a couple of times. If his feet didn't sting with intense pain before, they certainly did now, and it took all the effort he could muster to bear the impact of the assault. He was glad when it was over and the proper bandages were applied. As soon as his treatment was finished, the young Third did not hesitate to help Kunsel drink the second cup of prickleberry juice. The most serious wounds healed in almost an instant. "Kunsel?" Zack stated hopefully. "Kunsel?"

Slowly, Kunsel began to stir. The young Third lifted the helmet enough to uncover the eyes, which slowly began to open as the head turned toward him. "Zack…? Is that you? Where am I?"

Relieved joy filled Zack's entire being. It turned out that twenty prickleberries were exactly what were needed! He gave his friend a hug. "Kunsel, you're okay! Thank Gaia!" His body trembled with emotion more than pain now. "I'm so sorry! I put you here in the medical tent… you almost died because of me!"

Kunsel smiled, reached up and clutched a trembling, reassuring hand onto Zack's shoulder. "You didn't do it… on purpose… None of us knew… that the monster was going to strike. So it's not your fault." The friends parted, and the Second Class licked his lips. "I taste something really good in my mouth. And Zack…? What happened to your feet?"

"Oh, that's the juice of wild prickleberries straight from Dagger Valley." Angeal explained, "Zack went out of his way to get them for you."

"Prickleberries?! From Dagger Valley?!" Kunsel gasped, "But… but that means…" An amazed smile curled in his lips as he put all the pieces together. "Zack, you saved my life!"

Zack rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, it's the least I can do to make it up to you."

Angeal couldn't help but smile at the scene. Of course, that smile faded a bit as he remembered a rather unpleasant task that he knew needed to be done. "So, you're going to go through with this, huh?" Genesis asked.

"I'm afraid so." Angeal replied, "A field training mission of this caliber would just have to wait for a while."

Three hours later, the on-screen communications was ready. Several other SOLDIER operatives stood by, feeling bummed that their mission was being canceled. With an encouraging nod from Sephiroth, Angeal dialed the number, and soon a blonde man in a blue suit and glasses appeared on the screen. "Director Lazard," the Heart of SOLDIER greeted, "This is Angeal speaking."

"Angeal," Lazard stated, "I was just about to contact you."

"Glad I saved you the trouble then." Angeal replied, "We're going to abort our current mission."

The First Class Trinity had expected their director to be shocked by the news, but to their surprise Lazard smiled. "Oh, there's no need! That's the reason for my calling you: your mission has already been accomplished."

"WH-WHAT?!" Angeal gasped in surprise, and the other SOLDIERs listening in stood in astonishment as well. Their current mission, a complete _success_? How was that possible?

Evidently, Lazard had the answer. "A local from Cosmo Canyon was in Dagger Valley this morning, and since they had a camera with them, they sent us this photo through our email. Have a look." It was not long before the image appeared on the screen further surprising the onlookers.

"No way!" a Second Class operative gasped. "Is that…?"

"It is!" exclaimed a Third Class, "It's the Scaled Behemoth!"

Sure enough, there was the Scaled Behemoth, lying in a deep chasm—dead, with a tree branch sticking out of its skull!

"Apparently, someone among the SOLDIER operatives had faced this monster the last night, and won despite being heavily disadvantaged." Lazard explained, "I don't know who it was, but he was pretty resourceful! I mean, he used nothing more than a rock covered in dragonsbane in order to weaken the beast; the gloves he discarded was clear evidence of that. And if that's not enough to blow your mind, he obviously used a limit break to impale a tree branch straight into its skull and therefore finish the job! I find it was very impressive!"

"Anything else?" Sephiroth asked.

"Yes, there is one more detail. The chasm was covered with bloody footprints, and it happens the same trail led both in and out. If I had to guess, that SOLDIER had been fighting barefoot."

Upon hearing that very last detail, Angeal's eyes widened in realization.

" **D-don't worry! He won't bother us anymore! Trust me!"**

Suddenly, Zack's words actually made sense!

Apparently, the other operatives put together the pieces of the puzzle as well, and soon all eyes turned toward the young Third, still sitting in his cot chatting with Kunsel. "Zack!" one of them called out in amazement, "That was _**you**_?!"

"Huh?" Zack muttered in confusion.

"We just heard that someone had a run-in with the Scaled Behemoth last night and actually beat it singlehandedly! That was _**you**_ out there?!"

"Oh! Yeah, it was me!" Zack admitted, rubbing the back of his head, "I didn't want him to crush the prickleberries. And besides, I just couldn't stand by and let him get away with hurting Kunsel."

"Dude! That was badass!"

"I sure wish I had as much courage as you did!"

"I would have been better prepared for the fight myself, but still, that was amazing!"

Angeal and his two friends looked upon Zack in wonder. To think that this boy, so heavily disadvantaged like that, would actually stand up to a very powerful monster and win… The Heart of SOLDIER soon found himself smiling. "Well I'll be…"

"What is it Angeal?" Lazard asked.

Angeal turned toward the screen. "Director, I know who that SOLDIER happens to be. I'll tell you about it when we get back to Midgar."

* * *

Two weeks later, back in in Shinra Building, Zack and Kunsel were hanging out at the SOLDIER floor. Since their return, the young Third had been doing his squats like crazy. "So Zack, how are your feet doing?"

"Oh, they're doing much better!" Zack replied, pausing to show off his boots, "Not a single scar on either of them! Hey, maybe I developed some nice thick calluses along the way. Who knows? Next time I go barefoot, I'll be able to walk on gravel—no pain, no problem!"

"Don't press your luck, Zack." Kunsel warned.

Right at that moment, Angeal stepped forward, a proud smile on his face. Tucked under his arm was a carefully wrapped rectangular box, nearly flat and thus lightweight. The moment the young Third laid eyes on his mentor, he lit up, stopping his squats. "Oh, Angeal! What's the occasion?"

"Calm down Zack." Angeal chuckled, "I got a surprise for you."

"Oh goody, **another** token of praise!" a voice suddenly snapped sarcastically. The others turned to find a certain bruised and beaten bully walking angrily toward them. Or rather, limping comically, as the beatdown he received left him with a broken leg that had him walking with a crutch.

"Jabba!" Zack exclaimed.

"Gimme a break!" Jabba continued, "A loser dog like Zag is unworthy of any sort of praise!"

"Watch it, Jabba." Angeal warned sternly.

But the stubborn jerk refused to listen. "You said that you were gonna kick him out of SOLDIER!" he roared, pointing at Zack, "Why didn't you get rid of that stupid _wannabe_?"

At that, the Heart of SOLDIER gave a glare and gave him his answer. "Because the only 'stupid wannabe' I should get rid of… is YOU! I am fed up with the way you treat the other SOLDIERs, especially Zack! So I have done what I should have done a long time ago." He shoved a piece of paper in the bully's face. "Jabba, you are hereby discharged from SOLDIER, WITHOUT HONOR!"

"WHAT?!" Jabba barked in disbelief, "You can't be serious!"

"Oh I am VERY serious! Now get out of here, and if I catch you tormenting Zack and the others again, I'll come after you with Sephiroth in tow!"

Jabba growled in anger, but there was nothing he could do in the face of a powerful SOLDIER First Class. So instead, he turned and limped away, nearly falling in the process.

"Good riddance!" Kunsel shouted in relief. "You see that, Zack? That jerk's not gonna bother you anymore!"

Zack let out a sigh of relief. Finally!

Angeal's smile returned. "Now where was I? Oh yeah! The surprise I've mentioned earlier!" He took out the wrapped gift. "I've got you a present!"

"For me?" Zack asked, "Really?"

The Heart of SOLDIER nodded. "Consider this a late 'Get well' present."

"Gee, thanks Angeal!" Zack replied happily, taking the present.

"Go ahead," Angeal encouraged, "Open it." Zack didn't hesitate one bit and tore through the wrapping. Upon opening the box, however, the anticipating smile faded, showing a mix of disappointment and confusion as he took out the contents, holding it up in full display.

"A SOLDIER uniform?" Zack stated, "But I already have one." Apparently, he had yet to fully understand the meaning behind the gift; Kunsel's jaw was hanging in amazement.

Seeing the confusion, Angeal chuckled. "Look at the color."

And the young Third did. Now it was _**his**_ jaws that hung open, and his mako blue eyes widened in surprise. He looked at his mentor, then back at the brand new uniform.

It was a deep blue-violet color! Purple! Could that really be?

"Angeal…" Zack muttered in a dream-like state.

As if he read his mind, Angeal chuckled again. "Congratulations! Starting today, you are Zack Fair, SOLDIER _**Second Class**_!"

Zack blinked once. Then twice. "SOLDIER Second Class… this… this isn't a dream, is it? Is this for real?"

"It's for real! You've earned it!"

Not believing his mentor, the young Third—no, the young _**Second**_ —turned toward his friend. "Kunsel? Stomp on my foot."

Kunsel hesitated. "A-are you sure about that, after everything you've been through and all? W-wouldn't you rather that I pinch you?"

"Pinch me?! C'MON! With a dream a big as this, a mere pinch isn't gonna cut it!" He stuck out his right foot. "Go on, stomp on it already!"

"O-okay…" Kunsel answered reluctantly, "If you insist." And with that, the now fellow Second Class stomped on Zack's foot. Hard.

"OWWWWWWW! OW, OW, OW, OW!" Zack yelled, dropping his gift, and hopped up and down for a few seconds, holding his foot in pain. But just as quickly, he recovered from the impact. "Yep, that was real!" With that confirmation, two words best described the emotion that flooded his entire being:

Pure. Elation.

"WOOOOOO! YEAH!" the young Second cheered, jumping in joy, "I DID IT! I FINALLY MADE SECOND CLASS! OH YEAH!" He ran toward Angeal and gave him a big hug. "THANK YOU ANGEAL!"

Angeal briefly returned the hug, before squirming his way out. He chuckled in amusement the whole time. "Just to let you know, I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're a Second now; training is going to get harder from here on out, so be prepared!"

"Of course! I won't let you down!" Zack promised, before turning toward Kunsel. "Can you believe it Kunsel? I'm one step closer to becoming SOLDIER First Class!"

"I'm happy for you!" Kunsel praised.

Angeal couldn't help but shake his head in further amusement. Things were bound to get harder for the newly promoted young Second, but he had faith in him. He was actually looking forward to seeing Zack's growth, especially once they get started on the new training regimen.

For now, though, training can wait. Today was a time to celebrate.

Note: And there you have it, the end of my story! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Hopefully I'll have enough inspiration to write some more stories in the future. There are so many ideas swimming in my head! Until Next Time!


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